Cecil D. Winkel

Cecil Daniel Winkel, age 81, died at his home north of Glen Elder, Kansas on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born November 29, 1929, at his family home south of Cawker City to Peter K. Winkel and Anna Belle Piersch. Cecil was the 7th son of eight boys. Later the family moved north of Glen Elder. He graduated from Glen Elder High School in 1947. After high school Cecil worked for the Mitchell County Road Dept. Cecil served in the army during the Korean War from 1951 until January 1953. On April 18th, 1953 Cecil married Bernice Sorrell and they shared over 57 happy years together. To this union 6 children were born.
Cecil started farming in Jewell County and worked part time at Barnett Company in Cawker City, KS. He loved farming and caring for his livestock. Cecil and Bernice also ran a dairy for many years. Even though he worked very hard he always had time for his wife and children as well as family and neighbors. He would stop what he was doing and put their needs first. He was a very patient man and a good listener. He also loved his dogs, "Lucky & Frosty" and his granddog "Daisy".
Many good memories were made on yearly vacations to Colorado, cutting wood, and ice skating parties on the creek. Among the fondest were lunches in the harvest field with the family all together. In his later years, Cecil enjoyed restoring antique tractors with meticulous detail. Cecil, along with his sons and grandsons also drove the restored tractors in the annual tractor cruise.
Cecil was a member of the VFW and the American Legion Post in Glen Elder. He always enjoyed helping with the annual pancake breakfast. He was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Cawker City.
Survivors include his wife, Bernice Winkel, brother Paul Winkel, sons Ray Winkel and wife Ilene,Glen Elder, Bill Winkel and wife Darnell, Glen Elder, daughters, Roxanne Unrein and husband Herb, Lawrence, KS, Jennifer Bean and husband Mark, Glen Elder, Julie Schoen and husband Stuart, Glen Elder, Angela Herndon and husband Shawn, Glen Elder, and 18 grandchildren and 9 great grand children.
Waiting to greet him in Heaven are his parents, six brothers - Harold, Kenneth, Ralph, Francis, Wayne and Dale, the deceased family members of Corwin and Clara Sorrell and two great grandchildren he referred to as "the two little angels from Washington", Hadley Elizabeth and Chase Elliott Thompson and a host of friends.
Even though this is a very sad day for all of his family and we are going to miss him, we know that Cecil would want us all to have a good time while we are together and drink a little beer, a little wine and maybe have some cheese with it.
Fly away Dad.

A funeral mass will be at 10:00 AM Saturday, February 26 at the Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Cawker City followed by burial in Athens Cemetery near Glen Elder. A vigil service will be at 7:00 PM Friday at the Church. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to vigil service time. Memorials may be given to Solomon Valley Hospice.